Posted by Jack "Ghost Rider" Sweeney On January - 18 - 2010
So, just what was in that massive bike box the other day? Well, after wading through a cubic yard of packing material, things start to be revealed…
And, after a couple hours of hardcore wrenching, the RANS Hammertruck was assembled and ready to roll:
What IS that machine? Imagine an Electra cruiser ran off into the woods with a Surly Big Dummy…this could be the product of such a tryst. The RANS Hammertruck is a newish player on the cargobike market, with many visual and cargo-handling cues from the Xtracycle but also wildly different. Now you may know that we’re huge fans of the Xtracycle platform around here…so there will be inevitable comparisons between it and this Hammertruck. In any case, we’re very excited to be able to test the Hammertruck for a couple of months before sending it back to RANS.
The manufacturer specs list a quality component roster, and this bike is rated for a whopping 525 lbs. of rider and cargo. Suggested retail price is around $2000. We’ll provide more details in the coming weeks in our “first impressions” article.
In the meantime, feast your eyes on the cargo-handling portion of the Hammertruck. The side bags are shown in “rolled and stowed” mode, but rest assured: once they are deployed, they are HUGE. Also shown are the optional side runners for increased cargo capacity. This machine looks tailor-made for hauling a giant load of whatever you can stuff, strap, cram or wedge into or onto those hefty racks and bags:
Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.
Posted by Jack "Ghost Rider" Sweeney On January - 12 - 2010
Asisourtradition here at Bikecommuters.com, I figured I’d post a photo of the biggest, most unwieldy bike box I’ve ever received at our secret East Coast testing laboratory:
What’s in that massive box? Kitty wants to know…
With a little luck, I’ll have preview photos sometime during the weekend. In the meantime, stay tuned — this should be interesting, to say the least.
Posted by Jack "Ghost Rider" Sweeney On January - 11 - 2010
A couple of months ago, the folks from Jango Bikes loaned us one of their new folding bikes, the Flik V9, to test out. We previewed it here.
I’ve had a chance to ride it quite a bit — never got to try the true multimodal approach (bus/bike or bike/train) with it, but did pack it into the trunk of my wife’s car on days too rainy in the morning to brave the first half of my commute.
Well, how did it perform? The bike itself is a blast to ride…I’ve always been enamored with folding bikes as they seem to bring a smile to my face whenever I get a chance to ride one. I found the gearing to be quite adequate for my commute — no real hills to tackle, but plenty of range with the 50T chainring and 11-34 9-speed cassette.
There seems to be plenty of adjustability in the bike itself. While the handlebars don’t move up and down, the seatpost has plenty of range and the bike fit me fine. I think about 6 footers or so are the top limit for riders of this bike, however, and smaller folks will appreciate the bike even more.
I’ve read a number of accounts from other folding bike users that it seems to take a lot of effort to spool up such small wheels as compared to a fullsize bike. I certainly didn’t notice that — the Flik gets up to speed effortlessly enough for urban riding. This is no race bike, to be sure, and isn’t designed to be blazing-fast. Overall the ride was smooth.
One oddity I did notice was that sometimes as I was clipping along, I’d hit a bump and the rear shock would reverberate in time with my pedaling. I believe this is referred to as “pedal bob” in the mountain biking world. While it didn’t throw me off my game or really interfere with my forward progress, I found myself chanting “boingyboingyboingy!” in my head as I bobbed along. The rear shock is adjustable for preload with a knurled dial on the upper body of the shock, but even at its tightest setting, the bobbing was noticeable.
The front and rear shocks do smooth out the roughness of road surfaces…I’ve long believed that suspension components are overkill for just about any commuter-friendly bike and add unneeded complexity and weight to the bike, but in many cases they DO serve to make things a bit more comfortable. The spring-damped front shock (not adjustable) felt a bit clunky, as if the headset was loose. If I could, I’d specify the bike without these extras. The entire range of Flik models come equipped with the rear shock, but the front end of the 8-speed models (T8/V8/V8i) is rigid.
The shifting was flawless…Shimano 9-speed trigger shifter controlling the Sora rear derailleur over a SRAM 9-speed cassette. I had no issues whatsoever with that.
Likewise the brakes — Tektro IO cable-actuated disc brakes, with the front brake equipped with the DiscBlock lock (a hardened steel pin that fits through one of the holes in the disc for casual theft-prevention). The discs performed quite adequately, even in the rain. Disc brakes make a lot of sense on commuter bikes — able to stop reliably in rain, snow and mud and they cut down on expensive rim wear.
One riding issue I did have with the Flik is heelstrike against the derailleur guard and driveside chainstay. With rather large feet and the short, widely-bowed chainstays of the Flik, I had a tendency to clip the bike with my heel as I pedaled. Careful foot placement as I got used to riding the bike definitely helped, and of course folks with smaller feet shouldn’t have as many troubles with this area as I did.
The V9 comes stock with a cantilevered rear rack that folds along with the rest of the bike. It’s not rated for too much cargo (5kgs), but is plenty strong enough for a sack of groceries or light commuting load. I was unable to test the rack with traditional panniers, but Jango’s parent company Topeak makes a great rack bag with folding panniers that clips to the Flik’s rack. Slung underneath the rack is a pouch for a reinforced nylon storage/transport bag for the folded bike:
The V9 also comes stock with front and rear lights. The rear light was missing from the loaner I tested, and the front light is…well…fairly ineffective. It isn’t bright enough to navigate by, and may be set too low to provide much “see me” effect for motorists.
On some other sites, folks have decried the lack of fenders on this bike — I’ve got to say that not having fenders on this bike is NOT the dealbreaker others make it out to be. After all, those small wheels are so far away from the rider that they couldn’t possibly splash you with muddy water (smirk)! This bike is probably not the first choice for a sloppy, rough-n-tumble rain-soaked commuter anyway — it’s more geared toward someone who needs a small, apartment-friendly machine to get around the city rather than braving the worst Mother Nature can throw at us.
How easily does this bike fold? Well, take a look at the following video:
It’s a 4 second process to fold the bike into “storage mode”…even less for “shuttling” mode. Amazing! A lot of great engineering went into the design of the folding mechanisms…it couldn’t be simpler (or faster). Having experienced other folding bikes, I can say that the Flik simply blows away the competition in terms of getting the bike ready for transport. But how does it compare in size to a more traditional folding bike? I asked my friend Ken if I could borrow his Dahon Curve folder to make a comparison shot:
As you can see, the Dahon packs down into a smaller overall package. Other Flik users have expressed concern that the folded bike doesn’t fit as easily into small car trunks as other folders, but I was unable to find a small car to test. Nor was I able to bring the Flik onto a city bus or train…although I did wheel it into a few stores with no problems and no concerns about bulk. To be honest, I’ll happily sacrifice a little extra size if it means that folding this bike up is so effortless and fast! By the way, I weighed the bike as provided to me — it weighs right at 35 lbs. Not the easiest bike to schlep around…luckily it can easily be wheeled around in storage and shuttling modes.
So, is this the ultimate folder? The jury’s still out on that — there are so many great folders on the market these days, most of which I have never had the chance to ride. Perhaps my biggest issue with the Flik is price: with an MSRP of around $1500, the Flik is not an inexpensive machine. And, I’m not sure the parts spec on this bike justifies such a price. For about the same price, a base-model Brompton (considered the gold standard in folding bikes) could be had, as could any number of handsomely-appointed folders from Dahon and Bike Friday. I understand that engineering such a unique folder costs quite a bit more, and the technology used to facilitate that folding (cartridge-bearing pivots, camlocks and safety collars) adds to the cost. I’m afraid that some folks will take a look at the mostly-generic parts spec — with a couple of name-brand standouts like the Continental reflective tires, the Avid Speed Dial brake levers, SRAM cassette and Shimano Sora derailleur — and be turned off. It’s a toss-up — does a bike like this NEED high-end parts? I’ll be honest: the low-end and generic stuff sure performed without a hitch.
Hits:
- Effortless and fast folding mechanism
- fun, stable ride
- comfortable
- easy to store
- comes with basic accessories (lights, rack, storage bag, bell)
Misses:
- price
- low-end parts
- heavy
- not as compact as other folding bikes
We’d like to thank Jango for giving us the opportunity to try out the Flik — despite its shortcomings (mostly minor), it has definitely encouraged me to add a folder to my personal commuting fleet. Take a look at Jango’s other models by visiting their site.
Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.
Just in time for the holidays and hauling around all those gifts, Santa delivered a package to my doorstep – a set of very reflective Bontrager Interchange Urban Commuter Panniers.
Now that I’m on the mend – again – from being ill, I’ll be putting these panniers to the test. Last year at this time I was using a backpack and a single pannier to haul around all my stuff – clothing layers, lunch, books, tools. This year I’ve ditched the backpack (to save my back and shoulders) and look forward to the organization that this set of panniers offers.
The interchange hardware means that I should have no problem using these panniers on any of my bikes.
I just received these nifty lights as a test sample from a fairly new company called Bike Brightz.
If you visit their website, you’ll notice that they have a glow very similar to a neon light, but in fact Bike Brightz are LEDs, and they don’t cost as much as the neon light company’s products. When you order, the package comes with a few zip ties, velcro, rubber gasket/grommet, batteries and the LED unit. The LED unit has 4 modes: constant, flashing-slow, medium, fast.
Price per unit is $19.99
Available in 4 colors – Red,Green,Blue,Yellow
I mounted the blue and red lights on my bike, and you can see that it’s pretty bright and it will get you some attention and will definitely be seen by motorists.
I installed one on the chainstay and one on the down tube.
The Bike Brightz do not get in the way at all. I’ll be testing these lights out on both off and on-road conditions to see how well they do.
We received the Melon Slice a few months back to test. Melon Bicycles provided us a demo unit and we were not paid to provide this review. Here’s our disclaimer.
Specs:
Frame 7005 aluminum-octagon shape
Fork 7005 aluminum
Folded Size 34″L x 27″H x 13″W
Folding Time 15 seconds
Weight 25.5 lbs
Suggested Rider Height 4’-8” to 6’-3”
Maximum Rider Weight 240 lbs
Crankset SRAM Truvativ Touro 52T
Chain KMC HG50 108L
Hubs Formula FB-31FQR, Formula FB-32 RQR
Spokes 14G Steel, 12mm brass CP nipples
Rims Weinmann ZAC20
Tire Kenda K909, 20”x1.75”
Shifter SRAM MRX Pro with display
Rear Derailleur Sora 8 speed
Cassette Shimano CS-HG50-8, 12-25T
Brakes Promax Alloy V brakes
Brake Levers Promax 2.5 Finger Alloy
Pedals VP folding pedal
Saddle Cionlli
Seat Post 34×550mm
Handlebar 25.4mmx500mm, swept 6 degrees
Stem 300mm folding
Riding the Melon Slice is actually pretty fun. What I liked most about this bike is the fact it is super nimble. If you recall riding a BMX bike when you were a kid, just think of the same type of agility and handling, but in a grown up way. Since the Melon Slice has a shorter wheel base than the average bike, its handling is really quick and responsive. Popping wheelies and the occasional bunny hop is pretty easy on the Slice. So why would a bike commuter be doing those tricks? Well in my commute, there are tons of obstacles such as pot holes, trash, debris and even animals. The Melon Slice was awesome when it came to last minute directional changes.
The ride experience of this bike was very pleasant. It’s a smooth riding bike and if needed it could mash. When looking at this cute little folder, you’d think its going to be a bike that your grandmother would be riding. In fact I had some people call it an “RV Bike.” Not sure if you knew this, but folders are pretty popular with RV folks since they store pretty easily in tight spaces. Anyhow, the Melon Slice is quite a sleeper. I mean just look at it, it’s cute. Nothing about it says HI PERFORMANCE. However, that all changes when you start pedaling. The 52t chainring gets this bike moving like no one’s business. Combine that with the 8speed Shimano 12-25T and this bike will fly. There really isn’t much effort needed to start reaching speeds over 20mph.
Shifting with the SRAM MRX grip shift was pretty accurate. However, towards the last week of testing, I noticed that the rear derailleur needed to be slightly tuned. The Promax brakes are pretty powerful. They can stop me without a problem, and I’m a big guy, 208lbs (all muscle).
One gripe I have would be the width of the handlebar. It measured at 20″ wide. I prefer to ride with a minimum of 25″ bars. Besides, I like the extra leverage I can get with wider bars. It makes climbing out of the saddle easier. So there are two options: you can invest in an expensive set of wider bars Pricepoint.com has one for $10, or you can get a set of bar ends to help with the leverage when climbing.
The Melon Slice is very durable frame. It’s gusseted for extra strength and it’s pretty stiff for a folder. Even though this bike is pretty strong and durable, it does have a weight limit of 240lbs. So that means no big boys or girls. The folding ability of the bike makes this thing pretty easy to store. Folding the bike only takes 15 seconds and it’s pretty self explanatory.
I know what you’re already thinking, “what about fenders and racks?” Well, you’re in luck. Melon Bicycles have already addressed that issue. They sent me a fender and rack set that they have available on their site.
The rack has a 20lbs capacity. But I noticed this thing wasn’t really meant for the large seat post since it was giving me some play when I would load it up. I really dig this rack for its storage.
There was play on the clamp. The fittings that came with it were too small.
All in all, the Melon Slice is a pretty decent folding bike. I like how fast this thing goes and the gearing was just right for hills and flats. Its’ a very nimble bike, handling is exquisite, the wheels stayed true and the shifting stayed pretty tuned up until last week. But that’s nothing that a few turns of the adjuster barrel couldn’t fix. So for $599, this folder has all the benefits of a small commuter/folding bike, but it also has the capabilities to keep up or pass other riders with bigger bikes.
BikeCommuters.com (west coast) received the RYD Masher back in September to review. I just have to make sure I note that this product was sent to us as a demo; we did not get paid for the review. Here’s our disclaimer.
What: Red You R Dead Masher
Specs:Frame – 100% 4130 Full Cro-Mo
Fork – Full 4130 Cro-Mo, straight rake
Headset – Fully Integrated, Neco Alloy 1-1/8″ Threadless
Handlebars – RYD Alloy 2″ Riser Bar, 480 mm width
Stem – RYD Alloy 60mm extension
Grips – RYD 120mm
Seat – RYD, Steel Rail
Seat Post – Alloy 26.6 x 300
Crankset – 3pc. Lasco Alloy Forged 165mm, 46t
Chain – KMC Z410 white
Pedals – Alloy Body 9/16″, plus PLASTIC cages w/ double leather straps
Front Rim – Maya 650c Alloy double wall 32h, w/ black stainless steel spokes
Rear Rim – Maya 700c Alloy double wall 32h, w/ black stainless steel spokes
Front Hub – KT Alloy 32h, loose ball, nutted
Rear Hub – KT fixed/free Alloy 32h, loose ball nutted, 16t fixed cog
Tires – Kenda Road Racing, 700×23c Price:$599
I’ve been riding the Masher for a few months now. This bike isn’t your typical commuter bike that we often review, the kind that has fenders, racks and etc. But I wanted to get some time on this fixed gear rig because one of the favorite commuter bikes I’ve ever ridden was my old Redline 925 and I commuted with that as a fixie.
So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of this bike. Let me start off with how the Masher felt on the road. Since this thing uses 4130 Cro-mo, I looked forward to the smooth riding experience. Sure enough, the Masher lived up to the promise of a nice riding steel bike.
With the 650c front wheel, I was concerned that I would be leaning over too much. But to my surprise, the smaller front wheel didn’t affect my riding position. One thing I did enjoy about the 650c front wheel was the lack of toe over-lap. That’s pretty important especially if you’re riding a fixie, you don’t want your front tire clipping your foot as you’re making a turn.
You may have already noticed that the Masher doesn’t come with brakes. Since this bike really was built as track/trick bike, brakes were not included. Even if I wanted to install a rear brake, I probably wouldn’t because the sidewall of the wheels are painted and having a set of brakes grabbing the rim wouldn’t be too effective nor would it be pretty. So what does that mean for a boy like me who is used to grabbing a fist full of brakes when I need to stop? Fortunately, I’ve had prior fixie riding experience so I already know how to slow down my pedaling or skid stop if necessary.
Some of you are already thinking, “what about the fenders and rack?” Nope. This doesn’t come with them. Besides, the Masher doesn’t have the ability to accept traditional racks — it’s a track bike. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use P-Clamps to install them. Fenders… I’m sure you can fit in some nice Planet Bike fenders in there with the use of P-Clamps.
However, there’s a certain level of “cool” that you would lose if you were to add those accessories. Let’s be honest, if you’re going to buy the Masher, you’re not likely to put on those things just because it would make it look goofy. Anytime I needed to carry stuff, I just busted out my handy dandy Banjo Brothers Commuter Back Pack.
Since the Masher is a fixie, there are less things to go wrong. During the last few weeks of testing, the bike never had any major problems. However, it did develop a slight creaking when I would “mash” (get it) on the pedals. That problem was quickly remedied by greasing up the threads on the pedals and adding a bit of lube on the chain.
As far as handling and performance, the Masher is quick and nimble. It’s hard to describe, but when I would mash on the pedals, to get into a sprint, the bike would respond. One of the things I’ve noticed with bikes is that aluminum frames tend to have a snappier feel when sprinting, but with steel, I can feel the rear end trying to catch up with the rest of the bike. But with the Masher I get that same snappy feel as aluminum.
The gearing on the Masher was a bit too big for my liking. The 46/16t drive train made it a bit tough to start at the stop lights. I think a 42/15t would have been more ideal for all around use. The area I live in is relatively hilly. In fact there’s one hill by my place that I usually use to test bikes on. When I took the Masher up this hill, I really struggled with the 46/16. I know for a fact that the 42/15 combo works really well for this climb and it was tall enough to get some good speed on it.
Overall, the RYD Masher really is a great bike. It’s very comfy, it is super attractive and it has been reliable throughout this time. I think for the price of $599, you’re getting a great ride. Just think about it, 4130 cro-mo, all white (I dig white bikes) and this is the kind of bike that will need very little, if any, maintenance. I understand that a fixie or even this trick/track bike isn’t for everyone, but for those who are in the market for this style of bike, you really can’t go wrong with the Masher.
By the way, for those that aren’t too familiar with fixies or fixed gear bikes, here’s a great video that showcases them:
Posted by Jack "Ghost Rider" Sweeney On November - 24 - 2009
A few weeks ago, Perry from Velo Orange sent us a courtesy (read: “free”) pair of their new anti-theft skewers to test out.
We’ve discussed wheel security strategies in the past, and some of the drawbacks of existing “non-QR” skewers have been addressed by Velo Orange in their design. Read on!
Many of you have noticed that most new bikes (even ones billed as “urban” or “commuter friendly”) come with wheels that have traditional quick-release skewers installed. Obviously, this creates additional security headaches…without a good locking strategy, those wheels are quite easy to steal and could certainly use more protection.
Enter the non-QR skewer — replacing the cam lever with a fixed head that accepts a 5 mm hex key. While not foolproof, these non-QR skewers surely deter casual wheel thieves, but many savvy criminals now carry hex keys to swipe wheels and components off poorly-secured bikes.
Those non-QR skewers weren’t good enough for Velo Orange, so they set out to create an inexpensive alternative to Pitlock/Hublox-style skewers by using a standard “security fitting” on the head of the skewer. The Velo Orange skewer’s hex fitting has a raised “pin” in the center, defeating standard hex keys by requiring a special key with a centrally-drilled hole. Here’s a look at the VO skewer head:
And corresponding 5 mm “security” hex key:
The VO skewers are made of chromed steel for the skewer itself and anodized aluminum for the clamping ends. Most non-QR skewers on the market have serrated faces on the aluminum ends, and I’ve experienced quite a bit of slippage over the years using such skewers on horizontal dropouts. VO did their homework on these skewers, as there is a serrated STEEL face pressed onto each aluminum end. It’s an extra touch that means these things will not slip once tightened down. Here’s a look at the nonslip face:
As a test platform, and in keeping with the spirit of the Velo Orange company (lovers of all things French), I installed the skewers on my 1971 French “Astra” citybike…well, not quite. Currently, VO offers the skewers in a length to handle a standard 100 mm front hub and 135 mm rear hub spacing. My Astra has a 126 mm hub with a short axle, so I couldn’t use the VO skewer on the rear. Velo Orange indicates that other sizes will be available soon. For now, the rear skewer went onto my Xtracycle (which had a QR skewer with the lever pipe-clamped to the subframe of the Xtra).
The test platform:
As for testing these skewers, I can say this: once they are clamped down, those serrated faces do the trick. The wheel will NOT slip within the dropouts. I’m loathe to test the anti-theft nature of these skewers by parking my bike in a high-crime area, but I’m confident that these skewers will convince all but the most dedicated scofflaw to move on to easier targets.
I only have one negative to include about the VO skewers…only one special hex key is included in the package, and replacement keys are not yet available from VO. So, for now, don’t lose the key!!!
Currently, the Velo Orange anti-theft skewers are on sale for $12.00. They’re worth twice that in peace of mind.
We’ve got some other Velo Orange products in the review pipeline, so stay tuned in the next few weeks for more.
Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.
Just in time for “dark season,” we received a FlashBak safety light. I’ve put this baby through the paces over the last few weeks. This includes freakishly warm temperatures at the beginning of this month, lots of rain earlier this week, and snowy slush yesterday.
Let’s take a look, shall we?
Construction is simple, and use is straight-forward. There’s a battery pack, an illuminated pushbutton remote to turn things on and off, and the light rig itself: 10 bright amber LEDs embedded in a nylon strap. Several alligator clips are attached to the rig with paracord, so it can clip onto pretty much anything from jerseys and hydration packs to panniers and bookbags.
When I said the LEDs were bright, I meant it. Aside from cropping, this image came straight off my camera without any other manipulation. Other cyclists and a few motorists have also commented on how bright it is. You will be seen.
The on-off remote can be clipped to your backpack strap, to the front of your shirt, or somewhere else that’s easy to get to and see. It has a matching LED in it as well, saving you the hassle of doing that probably-familiar “is my light on?” neck-crane maneuver.
I don’t know how many hours I’ve gotten out of it so far, but it’s still running on the original 3AA batteries that it shipped with. The battery pack also holds the electronics “brain” (embedded in waterproof epoxy) as well as a hard on-off switch to remove any possibility of accidentally turning it on when you don’t want to.
All in all, this is a solid-built rig that seems to hold up well in all weather conditions. It’s pretty much the brightest rear light I’ve seen on a bicycle before, and the amber color is a nice touch. I still usually combine it with a steady-lit red rear tail light and DOT reflectors, though. Some steady, bright-red LEDs and/or reflective piping added to this rig would be a great addition to the product line, in my opinion. Distance is hard to judge by flashing lights alone.
MSRP is $45. It can be purchased at a few bike shops in Austin, TX or on the manufacturer’s website: FlashBakOnline.com
Although this product was given to me by the manufacturer, I tried pretty much everything I could do within the parameters of my usual commute routine to break and abuse this product. The above is my brutally honest and unbiased opinion.
Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.
Well, some of our guessers were right: it IS a folding bicycle. A Jango Flik V9, to be exact. Released in Asia and revealed to great interest at both Eurobike and Interbike 2009, the Jango Flik is a new player on the folding-bike scene. We’re lucky to have gotten a sample to test for a few weeks before it gets sent back to parent company Topeak, and I wanted to give you a look at some of the major features before we get down to testing it.
Frame: UniFit, single size Folding Time: Shuttling, 2 seconds; Storage, 4 seconds Weight: 12.9 kg/28.4 lb. Maximum Rider Weight: 110 kg/ 242.5 lb. Suspension: Front spring w/ 20mm travel, rear elastomer w/ 10mm travel Shifters: Shimano 9-speed Rapidfire Cassette: SRAM 9-speed (11-28) Chainring: Single 50T ring with CNC chainguard Brakes: Jango mechanical discs with integrated DiscBlock lock Saddle: Allay Racing Sport Grips: Ergon ergonomic Wheels: Jango 16″ disc rims Tires: Continental TourRide w/ reflective sidewalls
This bike is packed with urban-friendly features, such as
–a simple 1×9 drivetrain with disc brakes front and rear and tires with reflective sidewalls:
–short-travel suspension both front and rear:
(spring-damped with 20 mm of travel, non-adjustable)
(elastomer-damped with 10 mm of travel; preload-adjustable)
–an integrated rear rack that folds with the bike:
integrated front wheel immobilizer (DiscBlock lock), and lightning-fast folding mechanisms. The folding mechanisms are easy to use and FAST. Jango claims a 2-second switch between fully-deployed and the intermediate “shuttle” mode, and this is quite accurate. Pull a lever and fold the bike and you arrive at this:
You’ll notice that the integrated kickstand swivels to allow the bike to stand in “shuttle” mode. That’s a nice feature!
Two quick motions with the hand to undo the front-end folding mechanism and safety block, coupled with the above lever pull and you arrive at this, the fully-folded “storage” mode:
As part of my review I will include a video or two of just how quick it is to fold this bike in both modes. It couldn’t be easier, and Jango has put a lot of thought and time into creating a system that makes folding effortless for the user. I will also compare this folder to a more “traditional” folding bike, both in terms of folding ease and final folded size.
I haven’t had a lot of experience with folding bikes — many of the people who know me and my cycling habits know that I’ve been clamoring to fill a gap in my bicycle fleet. Here’s why: although I’m not a multi-modal commuter, there are days when it’s time to go to work and it’s pouring down rain. With the vagaries of Florida’s weather, it is almost invariably sunny and dry within a few hours and after I’ve “chickened out” by having my wife drive me to work, I wish that I had a folding bike on hand to make the return leg rather than wait to be picked up. A folding bike would be awfully handy for such a scenario, as it would be for someone who does part of their morning commute via carpool, bus or train.
Besides, in the brief experiences I’ve had with folding bikes, I’ve learned that they are FUN to ride. Sure, they look weird, but once I get on something happens and I realize I’m wearing a huge grin.
I’ll be testing this bike in the urban conditions in and around Tampa — navigating the urban corridors and otherwise using the bike the way Jango intends it: as a handy, portable travel solution for city-dwellers. Stay tuned and in a few weeks we’ll have the full review.
Let the testing begin!
Please click here to read our review disclaimer as required by the Federal Trade Commission.
